Take the basic formula for this Fruit Salsa and use any fruit you like! If Pineapple Salsa is your favorite, you’re in luck but this recipe is also great for Mango Salsa, Peach Salsa and pretty much every combo we tried. We even loved it when we made it with fresh strawberries! I have all the details below.
You’ll want to save this recipe for sure, because while farm fresh peaches, juicy watermelon and fresh berries are in season you’ll want to make batch after batch of this fresh fruit salsa.
The idea is simple, choose a fruit, chop it into small cubes, or dices, then add in a spicy element (either jalapeno or chipotle chili powder), chopped red onion (or scallions), lime juice, salt and cilantro. All you have to do is stir and get ready for tortilla chip dipping heaven. Or use it to top fish tacos, burrito bowl or Pan Fried Fish.
What is Fruit Salsa?
- Fruit salsa is a raw salsa made with fresh fruit, chilis, onion and lime juice. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary salsa is “a usually spicy sauce of chopped tomatoes, onions, and peppers that is commonly served with Mexican food [or] a similar sauce made with a main ingredient other than tomatoes.“
- Is fruit salsa sweet? No, our recipe is not sweet. I have seen recipes that are sweet (with or without added sugar) but contain no onion or chili or other savory elements. These fruit salsa recipes are dessert-like and commonly served with cinnamon chips.
- Is fruit salsa cooked? Though you can make cooked (or grilled) fruit salsa, this master fruit salsa recipe today is made with fresh fruit.
- What does it taste like? It is a lot like Pico De Gallo, but instead of chopped tomatoes, we’ve used diced fresh fruit.
Table of contents
Fruit Salsa Ingredients
Best Fruit To Use
The best kind of fruit to use for salsa are soft sweet fruits such as strawberries, melon and mango. We liked the texture of watermelon because while it has a crisp texture to it, it is so watery and juicy it isn’t too hard. Below we will share our versions of this recipe made with peach, pineapple, mango, strawberry and watermelon.
- In the summertime melon and stone fruit are wonderful in salsa. We also think strawberries are great.
- In wintertime use fresh citrus like I used for my Tilapia with Tangerine salsa, persimmon or tropical fruits like pineapple.
- Also try: Cantaloupe, Plum, Nectarine, Apricot, Orange and tangerine.
When in doubt, think about the texture of a tomato, and try to pick fruits that have similar texture.
Fruits To Avoid:
- Hard and crisp fruits: such as apple or Asian pear are not juicy enough and too crisp for a salsa.
- Very soft fruits: like banana or overripe persimmon are not great in this uncooked recipe. Raspberries are a little too delicate for this recipe and turn to mush. If you want to try them try adding them to as salsa of mostly another fruit (like mango.)
- Sour fruits: Cranberries and rhubarb are too sour and need to be cooked. They would throw off the balance of the flavors.
- Note: Blueberries, grapes and cherries do work, but they should be chopped for the best texture.
- Scallion, Green Onion or Red Onion: Besides the fruit, for this recipe you will also need either finely diced red onion or scallions (aka green onions.) Chop them finely.
- Fresh Jalapeño Chile Pepper or Chipotle : To give this fruit salsa a spicy kick, use chopped jalapeno pepper. Include seeds to taste for more heat. If you prefer you can sub in ground chipotle chili wich will add a nice smoky flavor too.
- Lime Juice: For acidity add in freshly squeezed lime juice.
How To Make Fruit Salsa
Stir fruit, jalapeno, cilantro, scallion (or red onion), lime juice and salt in a medium bowl.
Serve immediately or chill.
Peach Salsa
We loved this peach salsa made with the chipotle and red onion option.
Make sure to finely dice your onion (mincing is even better) so it blends in with the ripe peach well. Peaches blend well with other stone fruits too!
We didn’t peel our peaches and loved the look of the skin, but for a smoother texture you can peel the skin off the peaches.
Serving Suggestion:
Pork and peaches are such a yummy combination, so I say try serving the peach salsa over grilled pork chops!
Mango Salsa
We liked the variation of this recipe made with mango with the scallion and chipotle options. The smokiness of the chipotle is great with the sweet-tart fruit.
Serving Suggestion:
Serve it with Island Marinated Chicken (aka the Best Chicken marinade) or Caribbean-style rice and beans.
Mango salsa is also great with our Maple Chipotle Flank Steak Tacos and Mexican slaw. Don’t forget the Mexican beer and lime too!
Pineapple Salsa
Pineapple salsa is a great option in wintertime when tropical fruit is in season. It is a great way to bring freshness to the table when the weather is dreary. Today we used fresh jalapeño and red onion.
Note: Pineapple is one of those fruits that doesn’t mix well with others because it can make them mushy.
Serving Suggestion:
I love pineapple salsa over pan fried fish, but it is also yummy with Fish tacos too. It would be great added to a vegetarian bean burrito or to top off Mexican-style Carnitas bowls.
Watermelon Salsa
This is one of my favorite summer treats with tortilla chips. Obviously you’ll want to use seedless watermelon to make this much easier to chop up.
We like the flavor of using jalapeno for the spice and the red onion for the allium. But you can’t go wrong!
Note: this one does get a little watery, so it is best eaten right away.
Serving Suggestion:
Make some homemade Guacamole and set out a dipping bar at your next get-together. To get even more creative with this idea, check out this post about ways of jazzing up your guacamole 5 ways.
Strawberry Salsa
The color of the jalapeno and flavor of the fresh spice is so yummy with the fruitiness of freshly picked strawberries. We used scallion but either allium option is so pretty in contrast with the bright red fruit.
Strawberry can handle a lot of heat so we used all of the jalapeno seeds in ours.
Serving Suggestion:
We had this with Beef Barbacoa that I made in the slow cooker. We served it bowl-style over rice with slaw and chips and everyone was raving about the combo.
I think it would also be a yummy way to top grilled chicken or add to a buddha bowl for lunch. My daughters loved it with tortilla chips.
FAQs and Expert Tips
Have fun using your imagination and you can try blending fruits, and end up with some amazing combinations!
Keep in mind that many fruits have naturally occurring enzymes that will cause other fruits to break down.
If you do blend fruits the salsa will be best when freshly made.
Citrus fruits can be blended without them interacting negatively and the balance of flavors will be great!
We liked this salsa best within the first 24 hours, but it does last three days. The fruit, onion and cilantro starts to break down after that. If you want to ensure that your salsa is not watery but want to prep this recipe ahead:
Layer the ingredients (except salt and lime) into a re-sealable container and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead.
Stir it together with the salt and lime just before serving.
What’s the difference between cooked and fresh salsa?
There are many types of salsa, some are made with cooked or grilled ingredients and some are fresh or raw. In essence Salsa is a “sauce” of tomatoes or other fruit with chilies. Other common ingredients are onion, garlic, herbs and spices.
Cooked Salsa
Roasting or cooking the ingredients, such as the onions and tomatoes helps to break them down so they will make a smoother sauce. Additionally toasting whole chilis and spices will help to bloom their flavors.
Raw Salsa
Raw salsas have a chunkier and more rustic texture, fresh flavor and the taste of the tomatoes (or in this case the fruit) really shines through. These are often pureed in a blender. These salsas are called salsa fresca or salsa cruda in Mexico.
Pico De Gallo
- Pico De Gallo is a specific type of Raw Salsa (salsa cruda).
- The name Pico De Gallo means The beak of a rooster. It is also known as Salsa Mexicana.
- It is chunky and fresh and often not quite as spicy as cooked salsa. It is also typified by the fact that it is not as watery as other salsas, so it is often used in larger amounts as a fresh component of recipes.
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
Fruit Salsa Recipe
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 1/2 cups
Diet: Vegan
Description
Use this recipe formula to make fresh fruit salsa with any fruit. From mango, watermelon, peach, pineapple or strawberries. You’ll love them all! It’s a fresh and healthy appetizer, snack or condiment to serve with grilled chicken or pork or to add to Mexican food recipes.
Ingredients
Units
- 2 cups finely diced fruit, such as pineapple, peaches or mango
- 1 jalapeno pepper, minced, seeded if desired (or 1/8 tsp ground chipotle powder)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped scallion or red onion
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Stir fruit, jalapeno, cilantro, scallion (or red onion), lime juice and salt in a medium bowl.
Serve immediately or chill.
Notes
A Note About Watermelon
Due to its high water content, lets off a lot of juice as it sits. It is best served within an hour or two of making. If it becomes too watery, you can just pour off the excess liquid.
A Note About Papaya
Papaya salsa does not keep well. Enjoy immediately.
Mixing Fruits:
Salsas made with mixed fruits (with the exception of citrus) should be served within an hour of two of mixing together.
To Make ahead:
We liked this salsa best within the first 24 hours, but it does last three days. The fruit, onion and cilantro starts to break down after that. If you want to ensure that your salsa is not watery but want to prep this recipe ahead:
- Layer the ingredients (except salt and lime) into a re-sealable container and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead.
- Stir it together with the salt and lime just before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition stats based on pineapple.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
Category: Sauce
Method: no cook
Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 17
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 117 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
